Get Informed - Convention of States Overview
Resources
Note: Most of these resources are located elsewhere on the Convention of States Action website and many of them overlap in scope. They are listed here for convenience, but this is not an exhaustive list. Please explore the site. There is a wealth of information out there.
How it Works
Articles/Downloads
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U.S. Constitution - Free Downloadable PDF
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U.S. Constitution - Free printable pocket booklet
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Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation - Here is the the massive 3,000+ page Constitution that we actually live by. It's amazing that we need so much guidance to interpret a relatively straightforward document. This is what happens when it is 'interpreted' and not properly amended!
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Convention of States Handbook for Legislators and Citizens - All the need-to-know information for state legislators and citizens interested in learning more about the Article V process in general and Convention of States Action in particular.
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Proposing Constitutional Amendments by a Convention of the States - A Handbook for State Lawmakers - Professor Rob Natelson, one of the nation’s leading Article V experts, has put together another great overview of the Article V process.
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Model Convention of States Application - Read the standard resolution that has passed in 15 states!
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The Process of an Article V Convention for Proposing Amendments - This simple, two-page document outlines everything you need to know about the Article V process step by step with infographics.
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Proposed Convention Rules - Professor Rob Natelson, one of the nation’s leading Article V experts, crafted an initial draft of rules for a Convention of the States along with Convention of States Project co-founder, Michael Farris.
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FAQs - This printable, three-page document includes answers to all the most frequently asked questions about the Convention of States Project.
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Article V Legislative Compendium - Written by premier Article V scholar Professor Rob Natelson, it is the best source of historical research on Article V and the history of conventions.
Videos
Countering Objections
Articles/Downloads
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The Liberal Establishment’s Disinformation Campaign Against Article V - and How it Misled Conservatives - This article by Professor Rob Natelson explains how the first Article V movement was hindered by an intentional misinformation campaign to promote fear of using the Founders' tool to limit the federal government.
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Why Conservatives Need to Amend the Constitution Now - What do the John Birch Society, Eagle Forum, Common Cause, and Planned Parenthood have in common? This is a good primer on the historical background of objections to a convention of states.
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Two Reasons Each State Will Get One Vote, Regardless of Population Size - In this article, Professor Rob Natelson explains why disregarding the one-state/one-vote rule would be both unconstitutional and not worth trying.
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Defying Conventional Wisdom: The Constitution Was Not The Product of a Runaway Convention - Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy, Volume 40, Number 1, April 2017.
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The States Control the Article V Process - Opponents of an Article V convention have been repeatedly defeated in their claims that an Article V convention would “run away.” The Framers of our Constitution were wiser than that.
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Can we trust the constitution? Answering the “Runaway Convention” Myth - As Michael Farris explains in this article, the 1787 Constitutional Convention did not "run away" because the delegates followed the instructions from their state legislatures.
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We Know the Rules, Congress Does Not Control a Convention of States - Two false claims have been peddled by Convention of States opponents in recent months: 1) we cannot know the rules that would govern a convention and 2) Congress would control the rule making process.
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Is "Nullification" the Answer? - Some conservative groups have argued that the Tenth Amendment allows an individual state to “nullify” any federal law that exceeds the enumerated powers delegated to the federal government under the Constitution.
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What if Congress Refuses to Call an Article V Convention? - Some have suggested that Congress might simply refuse to call an Article V Convention of the States, even if it receives 34 applications from state legislatures for a convention.
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An Open Letter Concerning the Second Amendment and the Convention of States Project - Charles J. Cooper, a long-time constitutional law litigator for the NRA, outlines in this article why a Convention of States poses no threat to the Second Amendment.
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Five Myths about an Article V Convention - Many myths surround the Article V process. Rita Dunaway puts five of the most common to rest in this article.
Videos
In Support of a Convention of States
Articles/Downloads
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The lamp of experience: constitutional amendments work - Prof. Rob Natelson responds to the objection that constitutional amendments will be a futile means of restraining federal power.
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The Article V solution - The Way to implement the Tenth Amendment - Despite the Tenth Amendment, no subject in today's America is exempt from federal power. Rita Dunaway explains how an Article V Convention of States can put real teeth on the states' strongest defense against Washington, D.C.
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How can the Convention of States Project help curb the corrupting influence of money in politics - Vickie Deppe describes in this piece how term limits can help keep money out of politics in Washington, D.C.
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Public Lands: A “Generational Vision” - The federal takeover of western lands is getting out of control. As Ken Ivory explains in this piece, a Convention of States can help rein in this troubling federal practice.
Videos
Miscellaneous
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Simulated Convention of States - In September of 2016, a simulation of a convention of states was held in Colonial Williamsburg, VA. Check out this page to see what happened!
